tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post1278811708593575870..comments2016-12-09T18:31:41.108-05:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: SUNDAY, Jan. 13, 2008 - Stella Daily and Bruce VenzkeRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31454434767175500522008-01-22T20:31:00.000-05:002008-01-22T20:31:00.000-05:00although I get the Sunday puzzle a week late - I l...although I get the Sunday puzzle a week late - I love going back and reading this blog! <BR/><BR/>I got stuck this week with 56D - "word before and after a" - I had mens - as in Amens and Mensa!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-82993309907786139122008-01-22T17:35:00.000-05:002008-01-22T17:35:00.000-05:00I don't remember what "Google" got me to this site...I don't remember what "Google" got me to this site, but I love it!! Is this something that goes on for all NYT puzzles? I rarely have time to complete a Sunday puzzle, but this helped me to get through this one quickly.<BR/>Thanks to all contributors!Pamelitanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-60291032359338528762008-01-22T15:56:00.000-05:002008-01-22T15:56:00.000-05:00Ewoks are the furry little creatures from the Star...Ewoks are the furry little creatures from the Star Wars films. Asok is the Dilbert character.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5194085644082899612008-01-20T15:59:00.000-05:002008-01-20T15:59:00.000-05:00Anyone else surprised to see that phiz is brit-spe...Anyone else surprised to see that phiz is brit-speak for face? Actually it has a lot of strange entries on Google. Hate strange to civilians sports terms, i.e., "ints". And, why wasn't "mano a mano" clued to indicate in another language. Otherwise a good, if annoyingly lispy, puzzle.<BR/><BR/>CAladyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81507471771418319792008-01-20T10:52:00.000-05:002008-01-20T10:52:00.000-05:0045 across is a takeoff on PATENT LEATHER (like pat...45 across is a takeoff on PATENT LEATHER (like patent leather shoes, accessories, et al)...bet all the ladies got this oneAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-58394248427050199152008-01-18T19:30:00.000-05:002008-01-18T19:30:00.000-05:00I was doing well until I got to 89A. I kept wonde...I was doing well until I got to 89A. I kept wondering what an artwink letter was. Finally I gave up and typed artwink into google to see what I was missing and that led me to this blog. Happy ending. Love the blog.pow6benchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08229923172370536127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23674856420342693342008-01-15T22:20:00.001-05:002008-01-15T22:20:00.001-05:00Like another comment-writer, I think the title cou...Like another comment-writer, I think the title could have included the word WAITER ("See you waiter"?). Anyone with kids, or anyone who has mat a kid in the past, recognizes that, as Rex points out, the Rs should have been changed, too, and that really threw me for awhile. I hated the FREEH cross (missed it) since it was ungettable with that Dickens illus that no one knows. Ah well. The rest was a cinch (weewee twouble-fwee).voiceofsocietymannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-71435077778421822102008-01-15T22:20:00.000-05:002008-01-15T22:20:00.000-05:00Like another comment-writer, I think the title cou...Like another comment-writer, I think the title could have included the word WAITER ("See you waiter"?). Anyone with kids, or anyone who has mat a kid in the past, recognizes that, as Rex points out, the Rs should have been changed, too, and that really threw me for awhile. I hated the FREEH cross (missed it) since it was ungettable with that Dickens illus that no one knows. Ah well. The rest was a cinch (weewee twouble-fwee).Fionahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15877778426941734256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57443197564510289892008-01-15T08:50:00.000-05:002008-01-15T08:50:00.000-05:00Wrong theme?Can't believe no one picked up on the ...Wrong theme?<BR/>Can't believe no one picked up on the fact that the theme words are how ELMER FUDD talked! Not necessarily baby talk.<BR/>Was 54A a sneaky help, or an accident?Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09525192396181788723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36459696964433682872008-01-14T22:43:00.000-05:002008-01-14T22:43:00.000-05:00Okay then, thanks ....I know what QB is and what a...Okay then, thanks ....I know what QB is and what an interception is, just didn't know that "int" is an abbreviation for the latter. Had everything but the "n". Is there anything more annoying than solving an entire puzzle (legit, no Google) save for one letter???MommaJnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63298386125595037822008-01-14T21:27:00.000-05:002008-01-14T21:27:00.000-05:00I take some kind of rebellious joy in boycotting s...I take some kind of rebellious joy in boycotting spaces like that Freeh/Phiz 'H.' I just put a smiley face in there and refuse to look it up.matty litehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12660596914961930795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-20236724172820538752008-01-14T12:42:00.001-05:002008-01-14T12:42:00.001-05:00Mommaj,INTS=interceptions, which aren't good for q...Mommaj,<BR/>INTS=interceptions, which aren't good for quarterbacks (QBs).pamjonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-30985182382179826792008-01-14T12:42:00.000-05:002008-01-14T12:42:00.000-05:00@mommaj: "INT" is short for interception, when a q...@mommaj: "INT" is short for interception, when a quarterback ("QB") throws a pass that's caught by a member of the other team. So, INTs are bad for QBs.<BR/><BR/>Once I realized the themes all had Ws for Ls, the theme answers were easy gets, opening up the rest of the puzzle.radioguyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11455959220788571407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-20202325773520388802008-01-14T10:28:00.000-05:002008-01-14T10:28:00.000-05:00Why should anyone know some of this crap!Why should anyone know some of this crap!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90108590459756674592008-01-14T08:23:00.000-05:002008-01-14T08:23:00.000-05:00I knew Freeh immediately, but can't crow because I...I knew Freeh immediately, but can't crow because I don't have any idea what the deal is with 111D, and apparently I'm the only one. Can someone please explain?MommaJnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-66395493033084101992008-01-14T01:27:00.000-05:002008-01-14T01:27:00.000-05:00Awn (Awned) was an answer from the past. It was in...Awn (Awned) was an answer from the past. It was in the ancient Pantheon usually clued as grain or grass beard, if I recall correctly.profphilnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32327079015660410232008-01-13T23:57:00.000-05:002008-01-13T23:57:00.000-05:00I just want to point out that Mom said the same th...I just want to point out that Mom said the same thing before last year's contest. She is now in the category above me. <BR/><BR/>Put me into the PHIZ/FREEH and KARAN/ARIANA error groups. I also had another error somewhere that I can't recall.<BR/><BR/>dk, wouldn't the self-referential answer have been NO L NO L?<BR/><BR/>This is the first time I've seen the name CLU.<BR/><BR/>Karen, the 166th GCPSITU (2006 ed.)Karennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28961819952345515882008-01-13T22:47:00.000-05:002008-01-13T22:47:00.000-05:00Awned is legit I guess. I has the word only from ...Awned is legit I guess. I has the word only from crosses, then asked my wife, the biologist, can grass be awned? She said of course.Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00258423529661268186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6635511466790810372008-01-13T21:54:00.000-05:002008-01-13T21:54:00.000-05:00Took me all day back and forth doing errands and c...Took me all day back and forth doing errands and chores and tutoring calculus, but I got the whole thing without googling or looking at this blog. I rather like the Elmer-Fudd-Speak [not Tweety-Bird, for goodness sake keep your Looney Tunes lore straight!] since I currently have an adorable five-year-old who can't quite say his "r" cowwectly. Though like you Rex, I thought it rather half-assed that the creators didn't go all the way and Elmer-Fudd-ize all those other "cwazy wetters". Having never attempted to create a crossword before, I can just imagine the difficulties such things would make--for everyone, especially solvers.Geometricushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12608136348402997098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-5521386456099112712008-01-13T21:17:00.000-05:002008-01-13T21:17:00.000-05:00I did this puzzle on an airplane between LaGuardia...I did this puzzle on an airplane between LaGuardia and O'Hare. Although I thought the puzzle was fairly easy, for some reason (hard to fathom), a seat in economy class didn't seem to be the optimal place to do a puzzle quickly.<BR/><BR/> I've just read the 101 comments on Friday's puzzle. For what it's worth, I think Godel is a totally fair answer (even with a hard cross). To repeat what others said, if obscure tv actors and baseball players of long ago can occur in puzzles, why not the pre-eminent mathematical logician of the 20th century (especially after being featured in Douglas Hofstadter's book)?Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04700426644898924644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-38195242095183937702008-01-13T17:46:00.000-05:002008-01-13T17:46:00.000-05:00Except for that WINKWETTER jazz, it was a pretty g...Except for that WINKWETTER jazz, it was a pretty good puzzle. Someone had mentioned ARTWORKWETTER and that was my undoing.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13454782108761662940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4012989199019019602008-01-13T16:48:00.000-05:002008-01-13T16:48:00.000-05:00To the point, FREEH has appeared about five times ...To the point, FREEH has appeared about five times and all of the crossings were much easier including the first occurrence when the crossing H was 'Bill's Partner'...HILLARY!PhillySolverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06896753042626337920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-80893661197690142872008-01-13T16:17:00.000-05:002008-01-13T16:17:00.000-05:00I too think there's no need for controversy over t...I too think there's no need for controversy over the FREEH / PHIZ intersection, though I disagree with Orange completely about the question of whether people know FREEH or not. Like many many many people, I'm guessing, his name came to me reasonably quickly - the spelling (which is from outer space) did not. It's a bit condescending to point to how often his name's appeared in articles and then suggest that for that reason people should know how his name is spelled, especially since he's not been in the news for a while. I do think he's fair game, but not nearly so many people would be having a screw-up here if his name were spelled like it seems to sound in conversations (FREED). And I think having the weirdest part of his name (the "H") intersect with a far far weirder name is a design flaw. Minor, but there. Again, I don't think this is a Huge issue.<BR/><BR/>When you are one of the fastest solvers in the world, I think you lose sight of how many of the rest of us poor schlubs see things.<BR/><BR/>rpRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18769134549439930042008-01-13T15:50:00.000-05:002008-01-13T15:50:00.000-05:00DBG, I don't see why Louis FREEH should kick up a ...DBG, I don't see why Louis FREEH should kick up a firestorm of controversy here. A search for his name at the NYT site summons up 893 articles, and Will Shortz has always said that what's in the paper is fair game for the crossword. PHIZ is nutty, yes, but I suspect Will expects NYT solvers to be able to pull FREEH's name out of the dusty recesses of our minds.<BR/><BR/>ASOK gets only six hits in the NYT archives, none of them for <I>Dilbert</I> references. (His fame is outside the Times.)Orangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-43099198517619015912008-01-13T15:19:00.000-05:002008-01-13T15:19:00.000-05:00BMI for EMI and moistens for glistens made me phiz...BMI for EMI and moistens for glistens made me phizzle for a time.<BR/><BR/>Alley oops oops - oops-oops.<BR/><BR/>The strip is no longer in NYC papers. I'll have to read it on the <A HREF="http://www.unitedmedia.com/comics/alleyoop/" REL="nofollow">net. </A>leonnoreply@blogger.com